Question
Discuss the Farazi Movement.
Answer
The Wahabi-Farazi Rebellion of Bengal-Characteristics and Analyses :
- Farazi Rebellion (1818-1905): Haji Shariyatullah (1781-1837) was the pioneer of the Farazi movement in India. The Farazi Movement lasted from 1818 to 1906. The word Farazi means ‘mandatory duties as per Islam’.
- Characteristics: The Farazi Movement is characterised by these features-
- To remove all superstitions prevalent in Islam, provide financial independence to people and secure an independent state.
- It also aimed at ending tyranny and frustration and introducing hope in the minds of people for a new life.
- The Farazi Movement had started to deal with religious issues, but in course of time, it took a political turn. Many Hindu farmers also joined the movement.
- Importance: The ideology of the Farazi Movement was not contained within Dhaka, Pabna, Bakhargunj, Mymensingh, Noakhali and Khulna alone, but it spread to Tripura and West Bengal also. After the death of Dudhu Mian (1862), his son Noah Mian again changed Farazi Movement into a religious movement.
(i) Firstly, because of narrow religious principles, the Hindu-Muslim unity did not hold ground.
(ii) Secondly, the absence of political consciousness, real life experience and definite goals resulted in the failure of the movement.
(iii) Thirdly, when Dudhu Mian was imprisoned, the movement became rudderless without a leader.
